SLOT MACHINE GAME AND SYSTEM WITH IMPROVED JACKPOT FEATURE

• US 20100009740A1
• Filed: 07/17/2009
• Published: 01/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1997
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia PTY Limited (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Original Assignee: Aristocrat Leisure Industries Pty Ltd
• Inventors: Olive, Scott
• Application Number:
  US12/505,026
• Publication Number:
  US 20100009740A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

Certain embodiments provide a method and system for awarding a progressive prize. The system includes a bank of gaming machines accepting different bets per play as selected by a player. A random number is selected from a predetermined fixed range of numbers that does not change during play of a gaming machine. The player is allotted one or more numbers for each credit bet. The allotted numbers represent a subset of the predetermined fixed range of numbers. A feature game is triggered for the progressive prize based on a numerical comparison between the selected random number and the number(s) allotted to the player. Certain embodiments provide a trigger condition for a feature outcome based on an event having a probability related to credits bet per game at a gaming machine. A probability of success in the feature game may be higher than a probability of success in the base game.

Claims

1-80. -80. (canceled)

81. A gaming system providing a progressive jackpot feature, and including at least two gaming consoles wherein one console provides to a player a game for play which has a mathematical definition different than the game of the other console, each console having a prize awarding feature to provide a feature outcome, the console being arranged to offer the feature outcome when a trigger condition has occurred, said trigger condition occurring upon an event having a probability of occurrence dependent on the amount of the wager made at the gaming console, the gaming console including a trigger sensor arranged to test for the trigger condition and to initiate the feature outcome when the trigger condition occurs, the console being arranged to play a main game, during which testing for the trigger condition occurs, and wherein the feature outcome initiated by the trigger sensor is the awarding of at least one feature game, the gaming console being connected to a gaming network and including a signal output mechanism arranged to produce an output signal in response to operation of the respective console, such that the progressive jackpot feature is implemented using a central feature jackpot which increases in response to signals from each of the at least one connected consoles, and when a feature jackpot game is played on the at least one connected console, the feature jackpot game results in a game outcome selected from a number of possible game outcomes, wherein at least one of the possible game outcomes is an award of a common jackpot prize.

82. The gaming system of claim 81, wherein the game of said one console has a different mathematical definition due to a different number of paylines in the game of said one console than the number of paylines of the game of said other console.

83. The gaming system of claim 81, wherein the game of said one console has a different mathematical definition due to a different number of reel strips in the game of said one console than the number of reel strips of the game of said other console.

84. The gaming system of claim 81, wherein the game of said one console has a different mathematical definition due to a different number of reel stops per reel strip in the game of said one console than the number of reel stops per reel strip of the game of said other console.

85. The gaming system of claim 81, wherein the wager of said one console is of a different base denomination than the wager of said other console.

86. The gaming system of claim 81, wherein the game of said one console is supported by a platform different than the platform supporting the game of said other console.

87. A gaming system providing a progressive jackpot feature, and including at least two gaming consoles wherein one console provides a game which has a mathematical definition different than the game of the other console, each console having a prize awarding feature to provide a feature outcome, the console being arranged to offer the feature outcome when a trigger condition has occurred, said trigger condition occurring upon an event having a probability of occurrence dependent on the amount of the wager made at the gaming console, the gaming system including a trigger sensor arranged to test for the trigger condition and to initiate the feature outcome when the trigger condition occurs, the console being arranged to play a main game, and wherein the feature outcome initiated by the trigger sensor is the awarding of at least one feature game, the gaming console being connected to a gaming network and including a signal output mechanism arranged to produce an output signal in response to operation of the respective console, such that the progressive jackpot feature is implemented using a central feature jackpot which increases in response to signals from each of the at least one connected consoles, and when a feature jackpot game is played on the at least one console, the feature jackpot game results in a game outcome selected from a number of possible game outcomes.

88. The gaming system of claim 87, wherein the game of said one console has a different mathematical definition due to a different number of paylines in the game of said one console than the number of paylines of the game of said other console.

89. The gaming system of claim 87, wherein the game of said one console has a different mathematical definition due to a different number of reel strips in the game of said one console than the number of reel strips of the game of said other console.

90. The gaming system of claim 87, wherein the game of said one console has a different mathematical definition due to a different number of reel stops per reel strip in the game of said one console than the number of reel stops per reel strip of the game of said other console.

91. The gaming system of claim 87, wherein the wager of said one console is of a different base denomination than the wager of said other console.

92. The gaming system of claim 87, wherein the game of said one console is supported by a platform different than the platform supporting the game of said other console.